Kitchen Prep Lead / Café Cook

Hemma Social is a new family café and soft play space opening in East Village, Stratford, around 16–18 November 2026. We serve good coffee, smoothies, bowls, warm flatbreads, sandwiches, cheesecake and food for children. We need a practical kitchen person who can own morning prep and safe, consistent food service in a compact daytime café kitchen. You will plan and complete morning prep; prepare, finish and present the menu to agreed recipes; manage stock rotation, cleaning, temperature checks and allergens; keep the kitchen ready for lunch peaks; and work closely with the café lead. You will help establish sensible prep quantities and routines before opening. You should have run prep and service in a café, brunch kitchen, deli or similar food operation. We value strong food-safety and allergen knowledge, tidy working habits, independence and the ability to adapt when demand changes. The opening rota is expected to be around 35–40 hours a week, mostly morning and daytime, including weekends. Paid pre-opening setup is expected in early November. Base pay is £16–£17 per hour depending on relevant experience. To apply, email your CV or work history, earliest start date and a short note about how you organise a morning prep list to vlad@hemmasocial.co.uk with “Kitchen Prep Lead” in the subject. We welcome applicants from different food backgrounds and can discuss reasonable adjustments for interviews.